By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu

Civil Society Legislative Advocacy (CISLAC), an NGO, has urged Nigerians, particularly students, to use TIMBY App to report cases of sexual exploitation known as sextortion.

TIMBY App is a platform for reporting cases of sexual abuse where victims can seek psychological support and redress.

Hajia Hadiza Kangiwa, a CISLAC board member, gave the advice at a sensitisation programme for tertiary institutions in Lagos on Monday.

Kangiwa said that the programme was part of activities achieved by the NGO with the support of German Agency for International Cooperation to address sextortion experienced by students in higher Institutions.

The programme is organised to educate students of tertiary institutions in Lagos State on sexual exploitation, particularly from the anti-corruption perspective.

The idea is for you to speak out, seek redress and psychological support as we are approaching it from anti-corruption perspective.

Some boys also experience abuses and harassment, hence, the stereotype by the society that females are the only victims of sextortion should be reconsidered, she said.

The CISLAC official advised participants to take advantage of TIMBY APP to get justice, noting that some people are abused but are ignorant of means to get help or apprehend perpetrators.

She added that it was in the quest to finding solution to reports of sexual abuse that CISLAC created electronic channel known as TIMBY App, a physical complaint and reporting channels.

Meanwhile, one of the participants, Mr Oluwaseun Waheed, a Lagos State University (LASU) student, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the programme was wonderful initiative.

Waheed said the programme on sextortion has exposed him on approach to assist colleagues that are affected.

I have learnt about TIMBY App courtesy of CISLAC. The take home which I will use my position as student union leader is to ensure that other students benefit.

We are going to infuse five minutes pep talk in our orientation programme and student union activity week, to further create awareness on sextortion and how to access the App, he said.

The LASU student said there was need to extend the awareness to primary and secondary schools to instill the knowledge in children early enough.

Also, Miss Ijeoma Edozie, Student, Harvard College Business and Management Studies, Abeokuta, said that sextortion had been a major challenge faced by students, particularly females in the course of academic pursuit.

Edozie said that TIMBY App would curb activities of perpetrators since they would be apprehended and made to face the law if caught.

She said that the speakers had opened the understanding of participants for them to know when their rights are being violated.

With TIMBY App, such cases will be tackled and the quest to eradicate sextortion in higher institutions will be achieved. There are legal bodies partnering the NGO involved in this race, she added.

Meanwhile, Mrs Bathsheba Tagwai, CISLAC Legal Officer, said the programme was aimed at informing participants that sextortion was wrong and a corruption practice which involved both gender.

The stereotype by society that females are the only victims of sextortion should be reconsidered, there are cases where males fall victims even though not so prevalent, she said.

Tagwai said that the NGO had taken the sensitisation to Abuja, (North Central); Akwa-Ibom, (South South) and Lagos, (South West) while plans are in progress to take the campaign to other states.

NAN reports that no fewer than 100 students from LASU, Federal College of Education, Akoka, YABATECH, Adeniran Ogunsaya, Michael Otedola College of Education, UNILAG and Harvard College Business and Management Studies, Abeokuta, participated in the one-day programme. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuella Anokam

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has described as despicable the attack on the Chairman of the Human Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Mr Lanre Suraju, and his family.

Mr Suraju is a well-known Civil Society Advocate in the extractive industry.

The Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr Orji Ogbonnaya-Orji, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, expressed shock at the unfortunate development where the lives of Suraju and his family were seriously at risk.

I received the news of the attack on Mr Suraju and his family at their home with the utmost sadness and disappointment and wish to condemn the attack in very strong terms, he said.

The NEITI boss emphasised that attack on Mr Suraju was an attack on all civil society organisations working to enthrone transparency and accountability in the extractive industries.

According to him, the attack is also an affront to civil society protocols under the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) of which Nigeria is a key signatory.

NEITI views this attack on Mr Suraju with pain and will like to appeal to security agencies to carry out full scale investigation to apprehend the culprits.

For us in NEITI, the Civil Society Organisations are our very strong allies. We work with the civil society, government and the companies to enthrone transparency and accountability in the management of oil, gas and mining revenues.

It is NEITIs belief that the interest of leading Civil Society activists like Mr Suraju is simply to help ensure that revenues earned from the extractive sector benefit all Nigerians and not just a few, he said.

He added that there was an urgent need to guarantee the security of all groups, individuals and persons working in the extractive sector to enable them carry out their legitimate assignments without intimidation.

We think it is important for aggrieved persons, individuals or groups to take legitimate steps to seek redress through the law courts instead of resulting to self-help, he said.

Orji reassured the civil society working in the resources of government of NEITIs commitment to continue to work with them and other stakeholders as contained in the NEITI mandate to protect and push the boundaries of civic space beyond limits.

He said it would ensure that the oil, gas and mining sectors in Nigeria were repositioned to provide revenues that will support the nations development and reduce poverty.

In a similar development, the NEITI Executive Secretary has expressed sadness on the recent attack on the rail sector that led to the loss of human lives.

The NEITI boss particularly condoled with the families and members of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the leadership of the civil society and all other Nigerian professionals and citizens that were involved in the tragic rail attack.

He said NEITI viewed the attack as an unfortunate incident and capable of derailing the ongoing government efforts and huge investments to revive the Nigerian railway system.

Orji said NEITIs legitmate interest in the railway rehabilitation project was the strategic importance of the key infrastructure to the distribution of petroleum products and allied goods and services.

The NEITI executive scribe noted that it was aware that one of the major problems in the Midstream and Downstream sectors of the petroleum sector currently, was the distribution of the products to all nooks and crannies of Nigeria to ensure products availability at all times.

The railway has since been identified by government and NEITI view this as a very important infrastructure that will enhance the reforms in the sector.

The current attack on the rail sector is designed to derail these reforms and instil fear in the minds of Nigerians travelling by rail.

NEITI is saddened by this development and wishes to appeal to the government and Nigerian Railway Corporation in particular to consider as priority in their ongoing revamping of the railways, adequate security measures for rail travellers, he said.

Orji urged the government not to relent in its ongoing revamping of the rail sector because of its linkage to the extractive sector development.

The NEITI executive secretary explained that what the countrys security agencies required most was citizens support and solidarity, adding that security was every ones business.

He commended the armed forces and all other security agencies for their hard work and sacrifices so far and called on all Nigerians especially leaders to embrace non-partisan, zero ethnic and neutral religious approaches.

This, he said, would promote unity of purpose to help security agencies rescue the country from insurgency, banditry and terrorism. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Ijeoma Okigbo

Patricia Kambarami, an official of the International Cricket Council (ICC), has scored Nigeria high in the organisation of the just-concluded maiden Nigeria Womens T20i Cricket Invitational in Lagos.

Kambarami, an ICC Regional Development Manager who was present at the week-long invitationalin Lagos, lauded the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) for the quality of planning and execution.

She also appreciated the performance of the five teams which participated - Ghana, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and hosts Nigeria.

The participating teams put up a good performance.

I must also say that the organisation of this tournament and the quality is top notch. I could see that a lot went into making this tournament what it was and it is great to see the success that was achieved.

Kambarami further said it was great to see how much countries like Ghana and The Gambia put in with their response at the tournament held at the Tafawa Balewa Square cricket oval in Lagos.

It only shows that they will keep improving with more competitions, like the Kwibuka tournamentin Rwanda which is coming up soon.

But, more important for me was watching the excitement on the faces of the spectators.

One could see the interest, participation and enthusiasm from the kids around and it tells you so much of how cricket has grown in this country.

Also, I see this tournament improving with more competitors in subsequent events, Kambarami said.

The ICC official also said she was impressed with the quality of the Nigerian women team which participated in the invitational.

The Nigerian women team has improved tremendously.

I watched them in Zimbabwe in 2019, but what I am seeing now is impressive and I really must congratulate the NCF for what they have done with the team. Its such a brilliant job, she said.

Kambarami also said there is in the young players she has seen in the Nigerian team a testament to the progress of the federations grassroot development programme.

Its great to see the improvement from the Nigerian side and I am so impressed by this, she added. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Abujah Racheal

Legislative Initiative for Sustainable Development (LISDEL), on Monday announced its collaboration with Legislators, designed to attain universal health coverage in Nigeria.

LISDEL unveiled the partnership at a two-day capacity building programme, with the theme Enhancing Salience and Capacity of Health Committee of National Assembly to Catalyse Progress towards UHC.

The programme is organised by LISDEL, an indigenous not-for-profit organization, and partners.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), reports that as part of its mission to support the strengthening of health systems efforts in Nigeria, with support from partners, LISDEL is collaborating with the Legislative Network for Universal Health Coverage (LNUHC) to enhance UHC in Nigeria.

This intervention is part of the objectives of the Strengthening Government Partnerships and Advocacy for PHC (SPAG) Project being implemented by LISDEL at the national and state levels.

The event is targeted at key stakeholders in the legislature to enhance the application of their roles and functions to ensure the expansion of health financial risk protection mechanisms to vulnerable populations in the country.

It includes the following objectives: Review of progress of the legislative health agenda/work plan and priorities resolved to be achieved at the inception of the current Assembly; identify approaches to mitigate challenges; and to set new priorities based on the outcomes of the tracking process.

Enhance the knowledge of clerks and health committee secretaries around broad health financing and UHC concepts, linked to existing reforms in Nigeria, including the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and how their roles can strengthen their implementations.

In an address of welcome, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Convener of the Legislative Network for Universal Health Coverage (LNU), Sen. Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe, said that the legislators have gathered to apply their statutory functions of legislation, appropriation, oversight accountability and representation to raise health high on the agenda of government.

Oloriegbe noted that the two-day capacity building programme would provide critical interventions for legislative action that would support attainment of UHC in the country.

Dr Francis Ukwuije, Health Economist, World Health Organization (WHO), said that UHC means that all people must have access to the health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship.

Ukwuije said this includes the full range of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care.

The goals of UHC are to ensure that all people can access quality health services, to safeguard all people from public health risks, and to protect all people from impoverishment due to illness, whether from out-of-pocket payments for health care or loss of income when a household member falls sick.

Low levels of entitlements, large healthcare inequality, limited financial protection and poor portability are deemed as major challenges in the progress of UHC, he explained.

Dr David Olayemi, Consultant Specialist on PHC, said that the principles of any PHC are accessibility, public participation, health promotion, appropriate technology and intersectoral cooperation.

Olayemi said that accessibility means that the five types of health care are universally available to all Nigerians regardless of their geographical location.

He stated that community participation means that Nigerians are encouraged to participate in making decisions about their own health, in identifying the health needs of their community, and in considering the merits of alternative approaches to addressing those needs.

He stressed that health promotion involves health education, nutrition, sanitation, maternal and child health care, immunization, prevention and control of disease.

The goal of health promotion is to reduce the demands for curative and rehabilitative care.

Appropriate technology means that modes of care are appropriately adapted to the communitys social, economic and cultural development.

Intersectoral cooperation recognizes that health and well-being are linked to both economic and social policy as Intersectoral cooperation is needed to establish national and local health goals, healthy public policy, and the planning and evaluation of health services, he added.

In her welcome address, Mrs Juliana Abude-Aribo, Executive Director, LISDEL, said that the objective of the capacity building programme is to deepen understanding of the legislators on health financing, UHC,and PHC objectives and policies.

Abude-Aribo said this is also to enhance the understanding of legislative functions and enhance the application of these functions to ensure the expansion of health financial risk protection mechanisms to target population.

She added that the capacity building would also gather knowledge and use of information to develop implementable processes, tools, framework, strategic legislative health agenda and work plans in the application of legislative functions towards health care strengthening.

The Executive Director stated that this would track progress in past commitments made by legislators to promote UHC and articulate plans to implement pending commitments.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuella Anokam

An Oil and gas expert, Mr Olabode Sowunmi has called for a reorientation of the people on the economic and intergenerational implications of oil theft and vandalism to the countrys economy.

Sowunmi made the call while speaking virtually at the Center for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watchs (CeFTIW) weekly engagement which sought to interrogate oil theft and sundry challenges in the nations oil and gas sector.

He was responding to a recent report by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) which disclosed that the nation lost 3.27 billion dollars worth of oil to vandalism and oil theft in the past 14 months.

He said that the nations oil sector was in a transitory stage which required the cooperation of all stakeholders to maximise the industrys value chain.

The industry belongs to all of us as Nigerians, and it is important we contribute to ensure that the economy stays alive and that the nation can compete economically among comity of nations.

The subject of oil theft touches not just the soul of the economy, but the life of everyone, he said.

Sowunmi, who noted that oil and gas accounts for close to 90 per cent of the nations forex earnings, described oil theft as economic sabotage and a treasonable offencegiving its long term implication.

He said that oil theft, like illegal drugs and diamonds, were global issues, but called on authorities to expedite actions so it did not get to a stage where the soul of the nations economy would be deeply affected.

Sowunmi, who is a consultant to the Senate Committee on Oil and Gas, identified economic, political and host community struggles as factors responsible for oil theft.

He enjoined the government to explore technology options so as to safeguard the nations oil infrastructures.

He added that the option of marking the nations crude oil to the extent that illegal crude sales could be identified and culprit apprehended, was one of the options that had been discussed in the past.

The recipients and buyers of such illegal crude should be engaged and punished, especially in line with the basic principles of criminal laws which prohibit buying of stolen products, Sowunmi added.

He called on host communities to support law enforcement agencies on efforts towards ridding the sector of criminal elements who were known community members.

The expert said that failure of such efforts would amount to the country playing cat and mouse game.

On low investors confidence, Sowunmi said that the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act would restore their confidence.

According to him, it is not the systems that matters, it is human beings that operate the systems that make systems work.

The Amnesty programme was a strategic attempt to give people who were militants skills that will make them economically productive.

However, no matter the skill a man has, if he does not have a mindset of work, he may not use that skill for work.

What has happened is that the theft and other sundry challenges are rooted as cultural problems; in other words, there are people who see sabotaging the system as normal and the right thing to do.

It is that culture that needs to be engaged and discussed, and until that changes, the system would remain as it is.

There is also the need to crush the entitlement mentality of the people who believe that they can just have everything on a platter of gold because they are hosting IOCs, he submitted.

At the engagement series, CeFTIW called for immediate strengthening of security around oil infrastructures to deter vandals, while those paraded to have been responsible for oil theft and vandalism by the Navy should be prosecuted to serve as deterrent.

The center also advised that the government should deploy technology to monitor oil infrastructures as a long term measure to save the soul of the nations oil and gas industry. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Alex Enebeli

The Centre for Memories (CFM), Enugu, in collaboration with the [Re:]Entanglements project of School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London on Saturday held an exhibition on Igbo Spirituality and Cosmology.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that The Center for Memories is a repository of the history and culture of Ndigbo Igbo people, informing and empowering leaders to serve with excellence and integrity.

The [Re:]Entanglements project is to promote the Igbo culture.

It has been re-engaging with a remarkable ethnographic archive including objects, photographs, sound recordings, botanical specimens, published work and fieldnotes assembled by the colonial anthropologist,, Northcote W. Thomas, in Southern Nigeria and Sierra Leone between 1909 and 1915.

As well as better understanding the historical context in which these materials were gathered, the project seeks to examine their significance in the present

The Executive Director of CFM, Mr Iheanyi Igboko, said the exhibition was aimed at creating a platform where true and valid Igbo conversation from the past to present could be discussed and documented.

The event was based on photography and arts exhibition on the nature of Igbo cosmology.

Igboko said: It became necessary so people could understand what our forefathers did and for us to continue in their tradition, to practice it so that next generation can learn from it.

The centre is working to bridge the gap between the Igbos undocumented history, tradition and culture being handed over to them from one generation to another.

The centre is taking it upon itself to do some documentation of them in terms of preservation and promotion of Igbo identity in areas of their spirituality and cosmology, Igboko added.

In his remarks, the Provost of Atcoi College of Education, Enugu, Mr Zulu Ofoelue, said there was no evil in Igbo culture as people labelled it.

Ofoelue said the people of the region used culture for restoration and survival.

According to him, anything anyone does that brings evil is not Igbo culture and is regarded as Nso ala (abomination); they include killing, human sacrifices and stealing, among others.

If a person commits an offence, he will be banished and not killed.

Igbos have authentic existence but they fell into problem because they received white men who deceived them to believe that their culture was not good.

Even the lands they built their churches was given to them free-of-charge but what did they use to pay us back?, telling us that our culture is evil, Ofoelue said.

He said it was actually lack of understanding that made people to condemn Igbo tradition and heritage.

Earlier, the representative of the [Re:]Entanglements Project, Dr George Agbo, said the traditional world of every Igbo person comprised of certain beliefs, ideas and thoughts that guide them through life.

He noted that the world held sway over the minds of Igbos which was manifested in their customs, habits, laws, lifestyle and belief.

Agbo said that between 1909 and 1913, an anthropologist, Northcote Thomas, toured Edo and other Igbo speaking areas of Nigeria extensively, recording Igbo spirituality and cosmology.

He added that Thomas and his assistants took thousands of photographs and articles on Igbo cosmology which had been in existence up to this very day. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Georgina Adegbie

The Association of Former Female Athletes in Nigeria (AFFAN) has unveiled the first Netball Court in Nigeria to develop the sport from the grassroots.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the unveiling ceremony of the first netball court and equipment was held at the Old Parade Ground on Saturday in Abuja.

The unveiling ceremony was tagged: #AFFAN revamp netball.

The President of the AFFAN, Esther Aluko, told newsmen that the aim of the association was to revive the sport in the country.

According to her, the mission of the association is to develop the sport in all the six geopolitical zones so as to make the game popular in every state.

We want the game to be known in all primary and tertiary schools in the country because this is where we can get raw talent. We will organised more competition to catch them young, she said.

She said the first thing is to create awareness of the sports in the country.

She said that the sports was in existence in the year 60s and 70s, but it died because of lack of facilities.

I played netball in the 60s in the primary school and I played netball in the 70s in the secondary schools.

We dont have the netball courts and basketball came and kill the sport and took over even the few existing courtyards.

We need a permanent netball court. We have spoken to the officials of FCT secondary school boards, and they have assured us that they will give us three secondary schools per each Abuja council area, she said

Aluko, who is also the Secretary of Nigeria Netball Federation said they are sending out equipment to zonal areas to develop the sport.

The sports we have no facilities and without facilities we cannot develop any sports. The essence of having this court in Abuja is to create an awareness.

We are sending out the equipment to primary, secondary schools and zonal centres for them to be able to construct net court neighborhood.

It is important for us to spread the game of netball to the states. We cant just stay here in Abuja and say that Netball is back. This is just an official launch.

We have already received demands from some clubs from the States and some potential institutions to get this equipment.

We need the facilities to build infrastructures to spread the game in the neighborhood; we are working hard as an association to develop our goal which is to revive the sport in Nigeria.

NAN reports that the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) defeated AFFAN by 22-20 in a demonstration at the unveiling ceremony.

The AFFAN also donated netball equipments, including netball balls, rims/nets, and training bibs, to all the six geopolitical zones in the country. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ifeanyi Olannye

Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has congratulated the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, on his 38th birth anniversary.

The governors congratulatory message is contained in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba on Saturday.

The governor described the monarch as one of the foremost respected traditional rulers and man of peace with discerningly leadership qualities.

He said that the revered monarch was a leading light, a role model and eminent custodian of the culture and traditions of the Iwere people.

Okowa lauded Atuwatse III for his contribution to peace and growth of Warri Kingdom and the state since he assumed the ancient throne of his forebears.

On behalf of my family, the government and people of Delta, I congratulate you, Your Royal Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, Olu of Warri Kingdom, on the occasion of your 38th birth anniversary.

As a government, we have enjoyed your invaluable support in many aspects and it is my belief that you will continue to make your domain a model of peace and unity.

In spite of initial hitches, Warri Kingdom has, under your royal watch, witnessed phenomenal transformation in terms of peace and development.

As a revered traditional ruler in our state and country, you have remained a peace builder, a beacon of light and a symbol of humility and excellence in leadership.

The government appreciates your royal carriage and approach to issues and I thank you immensely for your contributions towards the attainment of the Stronger Delta vision of our administration, Okowa said.

He prayed to God to bless the monarch with longer life and wisdom to enable him to continue with his service to the kingdom, state and humanity.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Lucy Ogalue

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has confirmed safety of 14 more passengers on board the attacked Abuja-Kaduna train of March 28, bringing the total safe passengers to 186.

The NRCs Managing Director, Mr Fidet Okhiria, confirmed this in a statement he issued on Sunday.

The statement is aimed atupdating Nigerians on theon-going development regarding the clearing of the incident site (recovery of the rolling stock, repairs of the track) and status of Passengers that were on-board the AK9 train of Monday, March 28.

Of the 362 validated passengers on board the attacked AK9 train service on March 28,186 persons on the manifest are confirmed to be safe and at their various homes (additional 14 persons confirmed safe today), Okhiria said.

He said 51 phone numbers on the manifest are either switched off or not reachable since Tuesday morning and35 phone numbers on the manifest are ringing, but no response from the other end.

He stated that 60 phone numbers on the manifest when called, response non-existent, 22 persons are reported missing by their relatives and eightpersons confirmed dead.

According to Okhiria,Two coaches (SP 00016 and SP 00017) earlier re-railed have safely been moved to Rigasa Station.

He said: This brings the total number of recovered Coaches and safely moved to NRC Stations to be seven.

Intensive work continues on track repairs. More concrete Sleepers were moved to site while some section of twisted tracks has been straightened.

We remain grateful to the security agencies for all the support. We are very appreciative of the Squadron Commander MOPOL 1 Kaduna visit to the accident site today.

The NRC will continue to update the general public of developments to prevent misleading information and falsehood, the NRC boss added.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Rukayat Moisemhe

FlourMills of Nigeria Plc (FMN) says the company has taken the lead inpropagating the National Sugar Master Plan (NSMP) agenda through its Sugarcane Outgrower Scheme.

The company made this known in a statement signed by its Head Corporate Communications, Modupe Thani, on Saturday in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the schemes pilot edition ceremony took place at theGolden Sugar Companys Sunti Sugar Estate, Niger State.

According to the statement, top performers in the pilot edition of scheme, an initiative by the company, were awarded to encourage dedicated and committed participation in the programme.

It noted that FMN had participated in the NSMP and Backward Integration Plan (BIP) since its inception in 2012 through its subsidiary Golden Sugar Company situated on the Niger river.

It added that the sugarcane outgrower scheme was another integrated, direct, and productive response to the Federal Governments quest todevelop the Nigerian sugar industry to ensure it attains at least 70 per cent sugar self-sufficiency.

The company has an area of 22,000ha on which a 15,000-hectare sugar estate is being developed.

More than N73 billion has already been invested to establish the sugar estate of 3,500ha of irrigated sugar cane and a sugar factory with a 3,000 tonnes per day milling capacity.

The factory is the only one constructed under the NSMP and producing sugar today and once the development is complete 150,000 tonnes of sugar will be produced per year, it said.

Mr Anlo Du Pisani, General Manager, Sunti Sugar Estate, said that prior to the progressive agricultural interventions by the company, there were no sugarcane cultivation in the area.

Du Pisani said that establishing the outgrower scheme showed local farmers that sugarcane was an easy to grow and lucrative crop.

He added that the presence of the golden sugar company estate and sugar mill at their doorstep guaranteed technical experience, support and market for their crop.

The result has been beyond expectation and we have trained hundreds of sugarcane farmers under the out-grower scheme and have sent some to Malawi for training to scale-up their output.

The pilot edition of the Golden Sugar Company Outgrower Scheme had 29 participatory communities, each community was allocated an area ranging from one hectare to two hectares with an average of 1.45 hectare per community.

An overall of 42 hectares of land area was cultivated with sugarcane out of which 14.2ha was for plant and 27.8ha was for ratoon and at the end of the planting season, a total of 3,291 tonnes of sugarcane was delivered by the local farmers as harvest.

The stated result succinctly depicts that the scheme is a huge success not just for the group but also a proven profitable venture for communities that participated in the program, he said.

He added that the company was expanding the scheme area to cover 110ha for the coming season and planned to keep accelerating the scheme from this solid base.

FMNs Director, Group Strategy and Stakeholder Relations, Mr Sadiq Usman, highlighted the applaudable commitments taken by FMN daily to ensure food sufficiency in Nigeria.

Usman said that the company had greatly invested in feeding the nation every day and the scheme was a pragmatic example of its commitment to Nigeria and the citizens.

As a group, we are once again leading the industry in line with the implementation of the National Sugar Master Plan mandates.

The results of the Outgrower Scheme pilot edition depict that first, farming, and in this case sugarcane farming is a profitable venture especially when an inclusive investor and industry player like FMN orchestrates the process.

Secondly, we would continue to work with the Federal Government and the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) to ensure food and sugar self-sufficiency in Nigeria.

Finally, we beckon on more local farmers to key into the scheme as all existing results and feedback has proven that the programme is an inclusive investment with a shared profit model, he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News